Comment by lenerdenator
6 hours ago
Unless you don't copy the license terms, it's impossible to "steal" open-source code. That's... sort of the point.
6 hours ago
Unless you don't copy the license terms, it's impossible to "steal" open-source code. That's... sort of the point.
Many open source licenses levy restrictions upon the acceptable use of the software. Those restrictions may include attribution requirements, up to and including a requirement to include the license when redistributing the code; they may forbid using derivative works for commercial purposes; they may require the downstream project to utilize the same license. Open source is not the same thing as "anybody can do anything they want forever."
> they may forbid using derivative works for commercial purposes
The most widely used definitions of “open source” do not allow such a prohibition.
Yup, if we take OSI as defacto authority on open source definition
> 6. No Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavor
> The license must not restrict anyone from making use of the program in a specific field of endeavor. For example, it may not restrict the program from being used in a business, or from being used for genetic research.
https://opensource.org/osd
> Unless you don't copy the license terms
You edited your comment while I was replying, and merely copying the license does not cover many other possible restrictions.
6 replies →
Papermark is AGPL; Corgi must release all its changes.
That means they're not complying with the license terms. Which would be stealing. Like I said it would be.
Copyright violation is not theft. Your effort to create something that can be effortlessly copied conveys to you no property. Society deems it beneficial to grant a time limited monopoly on copying it to spur innovation.
2 replies →
Thats not what you said. You said "copy the license terms". Copying a license isn't the same as complying with one.
Though it looks like in this case they didn't do either.
So we're in violent agreement then?
1 reply →
Copyleft is still a thing. Right to attribution is still a thing. Please, read about it and you will discover that there is a lot of nuance to the open-source code.
It's really hard to not assume this is intentional ragebait.
A cursory look reveals they aren't complying. So, as you say, they are stealing. What's the point of this comment?